The Fate of Volatiles Through Earth's Accretion and the Moon-forming Giant Impact

Delivery and loss of volatile elements and compounds (such as water, carbon, nitrogen and the noble gases) during Earth’s accretion set the stage for the rest of our planet's history. Volatiles were gained through delivery by accreting solids and magma ocean ingassing during the lifetime of the solar nebula, and lost from the Earth system by impact-driven magma ocean outgassing and loss to space. Delivery and loss were each recorded by different noble gas isotope systems, making these sensitive tracers of important early-Earth processes. Here I present new insights into the mix of materials that delivered volatiles to the growing Earth, the timing of the last giant impact, and the signatures of early differentiation that persist in the mantle today.

Speaker: Rita Parai (Washington University)

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